Post by denpaokala on Jan 16, 2011 14:51:52 GMT 10
I am a football freak, watch the game most days (actually more like crazy hours in the mornings), know it, love my team, love my icons and love playing the game also. Chances are your reading this and you feel the same way.
I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s watching the National Soccer League, going with my dad, his and my friends to watch Sydney Olympic at different venues over the years but with each venue, fans and club made that our home and it suited us fine due to a passion you just don't see any more.
There was derby matches with Marconi Stallions, South Melbourne FC, Sydney United and who can forget the games with the new boys at the time Northern Spirit at North Sydney Oval – a packed house on most occasions, they were great days and moments when the whole Sydney area and cultures could get behind the game and a club, be able to go and watch a game most weekends, watch the game with passion behind the team that speaks and appeals to you.
Sadly I ask myself and you, can you do this now day? What is the option for someone in Sydney? You have one option and that is HAKOA.
I have attended HAKOA games and the truth is from what I see a club like HAKOA speaks to a limited demo graphic and culture, it’s the hard truth no many come out and say in the open but for the name of football it has to be addressed, plus the fact that you cannot purchase a general admission ticket is just another matter a fan that wants to give it a go must get their head around.
HAKOA is mostly supported by a demo graphic of Jews within Bondi, Rose Bay, St Ives and Sydney metro areas, this carries on to ancestries that identified themselves with an Anglo heritage, when I quizzed the fans I spoke to, heritage responses included Australian of English, Irish and Scottish decent at least 70% gave this response with others including Chinese, Korean in the next bracket followed by limited numbers of Greek, Italian, and African heritage.
Is it hard for the other side of Sydney to get to grips with HAKOA and feel something for the club? Yes it is, is it any wonder crowds have slumped and the once mighty HAKOA – Melbourne Victory derby is hardly that anymore?
Sydney is a multicultural society, it’s wonderful that a newly vamped league came into play some six years ago but as it get’s alluded to time and time again old soccer needs to be embraced. A city of close to 5 million inhabitants and you would be surprised how many love the real game, should not be limited to one club that appeals to a limited crowd, demo graphic and culture. The crowds have not decreased for no reason and those fans that once tried to grasp the club and what it stands for stopped attending games for a reason.
We are a bilingual city with passionate cultures, something that has had been over looked by Football Federation Australia since the new reform came in, in 2003.
The Sydney Olympic's, Marconi’s and Sydney United’s were all given a no win situation and the fans those clubs had passionately behind them were also over looked. So today for the fans that can’t exactly feel the “HAKOA” cliché what to for premier football action?
I can tell you from firsthand experience going to see a game is good (not that the football quality was anything special in this one) but to go and support a team you feel for and want to show your passion is five times better than good and then you don’t want to miss a game, replay and anything to do with your team, sadly this is what is not available for that soccer fanatic who is not from the one high way that speaks HAKOA.
The Gay Leagueconcept is fantastic but all fans must be reached out to, be it a foundation club with some ambition, and joint venture with these clubs or a B-League, the other football highway must be embraced to unite and bring some good old passion back in the game in Australia’s biggest city, it’s not asking to bring the old league back, its asking to bring the fans of yesteryear back into the game because currently it’s a one way highway.
Greg Gavalas
www.therealgame.com.au/blogs/Editorial/14/ffa-s-one-way-high-way
I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s watching the National Soccer League, going with my dad, his and my friends to watch Sydney Olympic at different venues over the years but with each venue, fans and club made that our home and it suited us fine due to a passion you just don't see any more.
There was derby matches with Marconi Stallions, South Melbourne FC, Sydney United and who can forget the games with the new boys at the time Northern Spirit at North Sydney Oval – a packed house on most occasions, they were great days and moments when the whole Sydney area and cultures could get behind the game and a club, be able to go and watch a game most weekends, watch the game with passion behind the team that speaks and appeals to you.
Sadly I ask myself and you, can you do this now day? What is the option for someone in Sydney? You have one option and that is HAKOA.
I have attended HAKOA games and the truth is from what I see a club like HAKOA speaks to a limited demo graphic and culture, it’s the hard truth no many come out and say in the open but for the name of football it has to be addressed, plus the fact that you cannot purchase a general admission ticket is just another matter a fan that wants to give it a go must get their head around.
HAKOA is mostly supported by a demo graphic of Jews within Bondi, Rose Bay, St Ives and Sydney metro areas, this carries on to ancestries that identified themselves with an Anglo heritage, when I quizzed the fans I spoke to, heritage responses included Australian of English, Irish and Scottish decent at least 70% gave this response with others including Chinese, Korean in the next bracket followed by limited numbers of Greek, Italian, and African heritage.
Is it hard for the other side of Sydney to get to grips with HAKOA and feel something for the club? Yes it is, is it any wonder crowds have slumped and the once mighty HAKOA – Melbourne Victory derby is hardly that anymore?
Sydney is a multicultural society, it’s wonderful that a newly vamped league came into play some six years ago but as it get’s alluded to time and time again old soccer needs to be embraced. A city of close to 5 million inhabitants and you would be surprised how many love the real game, should not be limited to one club that appeals to a limited crowd, demo graphic and culture. The crowds have not decreased for no reason and those fans that once tried to grasp the club and what it stands for stopped attending games for a reason.
We are a bilingual city with passionate cultures, something that has had been over looked by Football Federation Australia since the new reform came in, in 2003.
The Sydney Olympic's, Marconi’s and Sydney United’s were all given a no win situation and the fans those clubs had passionately behind them were also over looked. So today for the fans that can’t exactly feel the “HAKOA” cliché what to for premier football action?
I can tell you from firsthand experience going to see a game is good (not that the football quality was anything special in this one) but to go and support a team you feel for and want to show your passion is five times better than good and then you don’t want to miss a game, replay and anything to do with your team, sadly this is what is not available for that soccer fanatic who is not from the one high way that speaks HAKOA.
The Gay Leagueconcept is fantastic but all fans must be reached out to, be it a foundation club with some ambition, and joint venture with these clubs or a B-League, the other football highway must be embraced to unite and bring some good old passion back in the game in Australia’s biggest city, it’s not asking to bring the old league back, its asking to bring the fans of yesteryear back into the game because currently it’s a one way highway.
Greg Gavalas
www.therealgame.com.au/blogs/Editorial/14/ffa-s-one-way-high-way